Holder for braided rug making



Nov. 16, 1954 sHlELDS 2,694,334

HOLDER FOR BRAIDED RUG MAKING' Filed May 19, 1953 l INVENTOR. a 2 hour 0, 3/0420:

United States Patent C) HOLDER FOR BRAIDED RUG MAKING Robert D. Shields, Southboro, Mass.

Application May 19, 1953, Serial No. 355,901

Claims. (Cl. 8731) This invention relates to a new and improved holder for the making of braided rugs and the principal object of the invention resides in the provision of a holder of the class described which is portable and very easy and quick to operate and which positively holds the braid or strand while it is being made, against the person making the rug, as at the knee, and completely obviating all prior cumbersome holders, etc. which are ordinarily disposed upon table tops, etc. and prevent easy portability.

The present holder provides a braid holder and clamp which is quickly and easily opened and closed for the reception or removal of the braid being worked upon and includes a very quickly and easily operated device for positively holding the braid at the desired longitudinal position therein, obviating the necessity for opening or closing the holder while braiding, to the end that the work being done need not be placed upon a table and obviating the necessity of carrying the table from one place to another when it is desired to move the scene of operations.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a two-part articulated device including means for securing the same to a limb of the user, one of the articulated parts preferably being attached to the leg adjacent the knee at the kneecap and the other part overlying the leg just above the knee more or less in a horizontal position, the latter part carrying upon it a member formed with a braid receiving trough or the like and including fixed stops at the forward end thereof and a resilient latch at the rear end, said stops and latch providing for positioning and latching of a sliding member adapted to overlie the braid located in the trough, said sliding member embodying a handle for operation thereof and a swinging friction latch for holding the braid in the position desired, said latch being quickly and easily operated for adjusting the longitudinal position of the braid relative to the holder for progression of the braid as it is made.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with part broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the clamp; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the trough element with part broken away and part in section.

In carrying out the present invention, there is provided a concave element generally indicated at which is adapted to be attached by any desired or convenient means such as a strap 12 to a limb of the user of the device. In the present case, member 10 is provided with two wings and the forward concaved part 14 so that the same may substantially fit the limb of the user at the knee-cap.

Attached to the member 10, there is a hinge 16 or other articulation connection and on the other leaf of the hinge there is disposed a plate 18. This plate is adapted to overlie the knee substantially in the relation shown in Fig. 1, so that the plate 18 will usually be located in a horizontal position or substantially so.

Upon plate 18 there are provided a pair of uprights 20 which may, if desired, be struck up from the material thereof, leaving an opening indicated at 22 in Fig. 4. Of course the uprights may be of a separate material also, and they are outwardly directed at their tops forming supports for a depressed plate 24. The depression is semi-cylindrical and forms a trough.

One of the uprights 20 is provided with a pin or other fastener 26 upon which is supported a resilient wire or the like 28. This wire extends to the rear of the upright to which it is attached and terminates in a freeended handle or finger-piece 30. Just forwardly of this finger-piece, there is a latching portion 32 which extends upwardly through an aperture 34 in the horizontal portion of the trough plate 24 (see Fig. 2).

The uprights 20, 20 are outwardly directed at their edges as at 36 and these edges form rails for the sliding reception of an upper member generally indicated at 38ilhaving reversely directed edges 40 for sliding on said ra s.

The member 38 conforms in general to the trough member and is provided with an oppositely extending or complementary trough-like portion 42, which is preferably larger at the rear portion 44 than at the front portion 46 so that the combined passage tapers.

The member 38 is slidable from the rear toward the I front of the plate member 24 and the latter is provided with fixed stops 48 at the forward portion thereof for preventing excess forward motion of the member 38 relative to member'24. Also the latch 32, which is resilient, pops up behind member 38 at the rear thereof (see Figs. 1 and 2) and latches the same in position against the stops 48. In the device shown in the drawing, there is a notch 50 in the rear edge of the member 38, which notch receives an upwardly extending portion 32 of the latch 28.

The member 38 is provided with a handle generally indicated at 50 and in the present case, this handle comprises a pair of parallel elements which extend longitudinally of the device and are easily grasped between the fingers for sliding element 38 relative to member 24. This handle may take any form desired and provides a support for a swinging bail 52, the latter having a swinging motion (see Fig. 1), wherein when it is raised, it is free of the braid being worked as indicated at 54, but when it is swung down in the direction of the arrow, it impinged upon the braid. A slight tug forwardly thereon locks the braid securely in the position in which it is de sired to work. When it is necessary to advance the braid, this bail is flicked up, the braid advanced, and the bail again moved downwardly. The bail is provided with in-turned edges which may be located in a variety of holes 56 for adjustment according to sizes of braids being worked upon.

The strap 12 may be provided with any kind of buckle desired for adjustable securement to a notch or a series of notches indicated at 58 in the member 10 opposite the side at 60 where the strap is secured.

It will be seen that this invention comprises a relatively simple and easily applied braid holder which makes the braid being worked upon body supported rather than supported upon a table or other inconvenient location. The present holder is extremely easily operated by merely depressing the latch by means of the finger-piece 30. The top portion of the holder 38 is easily retracted for applying or disengaging the braid, and the latch comprising the member 52 is extremely easily and quickly operated for adjustment of the braid longitudinally without the necessity of opening the holder itself.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what I claim is:

l. A braid holder or the like comprising a plate-like member, means to fasten the holder to the body of the user, means forming a concave trough therein, a latch on said member, a second member slidable with respect to the first member in the direction of the axis of the trough, said second member being provided with a complementary trough-like portion coinciding with the trough in the first member and forming a combined passage for the braid, said latch forming releasable means latching the two members together, interengaging means for slid ably guiding the second member on the first member, and a releasable latching element on the second member for engaging and holding the braid fixed in the combined passage.

2. A device of the class described comprising two articulated members, means on one member for securing the same to the limb of a user, an element fixed to the second member and" providing -a" centrai trough; edge" guiding" means on said element, said edge guiding means extending laterally at each side of theelement, a second element slidable with respecttovthesfirstlzelementaand :completeiy detachable itherefromameanmont said :secondgelementslidei ably .engaging Lsaidcedge :guiding means; said second 'ele-w ment; beingzformed complementanyyto :the: trough in the 1 first: lelement ltQ; provide a passage SOPI1I at. both: tends-,1 .a latch. on, one-element! for engaging .theiother-,:said:latch' be-:, ingmanuallyzdisengageable, stops on thetfirsbelement: to locate the second element with :relationqthereto tand :aa latch.- .on i .one .of' (said Qmembers :for engaging ;an: element locatedieintgthettrough.1. v

3. A device of .theclass descrihedtcomprising twotartica ulated ,members, .meansa-on-ionecmemhez for: securing, the same to the limb of a user, an element fixed to the: second membent-and iprovidingi aacentral-LI troughedge guiding means. on said uelement,;said ;edge qguiding imeans extending;laterallyatreach side 10f thetelement, asecond. 0 element slidable withirespect to theifirstnelementandzcoma pletely detachable therefnomnmeansonzsaid second ele-,. ment slidably engaging saidedgeuguidingdneans,.said second element beingiformedcomplementaryttothe. troughx in the first element toprovide-a passage opematabothendsg a latch on'one elementifon rengagingthevother, said latch being manually .disengageable,-:stops-on the :fir'stuelernent-t tolocate the-second element withirelationzthereto, and an friction :typelatch on one of saidJnemberst-for engaging an element;locatedimthe;trough,:said latchtincluding a swinging bail, and meansfor adjusting the-positionofisaid bail relative .to. the. l passage.

4. A device of the class described comprisingwa platelike member adapted to be fastened to the body of the I user;means-forming'a-concave-trough therein; a'latch'on" said member, a second member movable with respect to the first member, said second member being provided with a complementary trough-like portion coinciding with the trough in the first member and forming a passage when the two members are in juxtaposition, said latch forming releasable means latching the.two.members together, and a movable latching element on the second member for engaging andholdingan object 'lo'catedin the combined passage.

5. A devic'e'of th'e'cla'ssdescribed comprising a pair of articulated members means; on.- oneamember for securing the same to the leg of a user just below the knee and positioning thesecondmemben-td be on the knee when the knee is bent, an element fixed to the second member and providing a horizontal trough, a second element movable on the first element and having a trough therein complementary; to' the trough: in the: first member to providera combined horizontalt-passage opens-at bothn ends,-said-. second element being selectively movable from a position wherein the troughs-are juxta'posedato a posi-;- tionwherein-the'troughs are removed from-eachi'other to. open the passage for receivingan: object :therein, and a latchon one element for engaging. the other, said alatchu being manually disengageable.-;-,

References Cited in the file ofthis: patent UNITED l STATES 1 PATENTS 

